Trailer hitching, in various means, has been in existence for some time. Trailer hitches enable their users with a means for connecting a trailer or other implement to a hitch, so that the trailer or other implement can be repositioned or towed. The public has welcomed the chance to move their belongings inexpensively to their intended destination, and to have the peace of mind of having control over their possessions en route. By way of background concerning some conventional systems, it is frequently desired by individuals to reposition towable articles (e.g., such as agricultural implements, trailers and the like). To effect movement upon a trailer, a tow vehicle (e.g., such as a tractor, truck or the like) is coupled to the trailer. The tow vehicle must be adequately robust to support the tongue weight of the trailer. For trailers with heavy tongue weights, specialized tow vehicles can be required to support the tongue weight while imparting motion on the trailer.
For example, moving a fifth wheel trailer with a gooseneck hitch that is carrying sufficient weigh can require the use of a heavy-duty pickup truck, such that the weight of the gooseneck is born by the axles of the pickup truck. Contrariwise, moving an agricultural implement with sufficient tongue weight having a conventional tow hitch may exceed the towing capabilities (e.g., of the bumper if the implement is hitched to the bumper or of the vehicle frame if the implement is hitched to a receiver hitch mounted to the frame of the vehicle) of even a heavy-duty pickup truck, and can require the use of a drawbar on an agricultural tractor capable of bearing the tongue weight. For moving implements utilizing a two-point hitch (e.g., such as some large planters, drills and air seeders), an even additional tow vehicle can be required.
A tow hitch is a device attached to the chassis of a vehicle for towing. A tow hitch can take the form of a tow-ball to allow for swiveling and articulation of a trailer, or a tow pin and jaw with a trailer loop (e.g., a drawbar)—often used for large or agricultural vehicles where slack in the pivot pin allows the same movements.
A fifth wheel hitch is a type of hitch designed for carrying much heavier loads than the typical ball hitch can handle. In a fifth wheel trailer scenario, the front edge of a trailer (e.g., the gooseneck) extends over the rear bumper of a pickup truck. The attachment point is in the bed of the truck, not at the rear bumper as with a tow hitch. The attachment point is either a large flat plate having a horseshoe shape for receiving a ball mounted to the gooseneck or simply a king-pin to be coupled to the gooseneck with a coupler. In either situation, the attachment point is located ahead of the rear axle of the pickup truck, dispersing the weight of the trailer between both the front and rear pickup truck axles, allowing the truck to handle significantly more weight than when weight is distributed only on the rear axle. The trailer connects to the fifth wheel hitch plate via a downward facing pin, commonly referred to as a king pin. The king pin locks into position so that the hitch can pivot to accommodate turns.
A two-point hitch is often used to attach agricultural implements to agricultural tractors. The two-point hitch comprises two movable arms. The two arms are controlled by the hydraulic system of a tractor and are used for lifting and lowering an implement mounted thereon. Each arm has a terminal end facing away from the associated agricultural tractor. Near the terminal end is located an articulating ball receiver, which has a cylindrical opening through it for receiving a pin, used to attach an implement to the tractor. The articulating ball receiver can be articulated in relation to the arm so that a pin can be passed through both the two-point hitch and the ball, coupling the tractor to the implement. In a common variation of the two-point hitch, called a three-point hitch, a third, center arm is added, referred to as the top link. It is movable, but typically not powered.
However, the use of conventional hitches carries with it a variety of deficiencies. One such deficiency conventionally associated with the use of a hitch is that a tow vehicle having particular towing characteristics (e.g., maximum tongue weight) is required for trailers and implements having certain tongue weights. For example, this may prevent the use of a light-duty half-ton pickup truck to tow a heavy fifth-wheel trailer.
Another deficiency conventionally associated with the use of conventional hitches is that certain trailers and implements require tow vehicles equipped with certain types or styles of hitches. For example, an implement that requires a two-point hitch cannot be towed by any type of pickup truck because pickup trucks cannot conventionally be equipped with a two-point hitch. Instead, implements requiring a two-point hitch must be towed with an agricultural tractor or other tow vehicle having a two-point hitch. Another example is that a fifth-wheel trailer cannot be towed by a pickup truck that is not configured to receive a fifth-wheel trailer. Instead, a pickup truck having the requisite fifth-wheel hardware must be used to tow a fifth-wheel trailer.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an trailer caddy to permit a trailer having one type of hitch to be towed by a pickup truck having fifth-wheel hardware mounted in the bed of the pickup truck and to ensure that the trailer caddy is easily removable from the trailer to permit the trailer to be towed by a vehicle having the type of hitch receiver to mate with the hitch embodied by the trailer.
The above-described deficiencies of today's towing methods are merely intended to provide an overview of some of the problems of conventional systems, and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems with the state of the art and corresponding benefits of some of the various non-limiting embodiments may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.